Firework procession festival in Bắc Ninh province

On every 4th day of the Lunar New Year, Đồng Kỵ villagers hold a firecracker procession to celebrate General Thiên Cương, who is the tutelary god of the village and the one who led locals to fight foreign invaders.

The procession is prepared carefully from the early morning of the 4th, but until 9:00am of the day, two big guns are carried from the head of festival’s house to the communal house with the participation of hundreds of local people and thousands of visitors. Apart from the procession, a variety of lively activities take place, such as singing love duets, classical drama and many sport competitions such as volleyball, badminton and chess.

The annual firework procession festival takes place in Đồng Kỵ Village (Đồng Quang Commune, Từ Sơn District, northern Bắc Ninh Province) on the 4th of the first lunar month. The festival aims to commemorate the day when general Thiên Cương gave order for soldiers to march into battle defeating enemies and later regarded and worshipped as the tutelary god. — VNS Photos Việt Thanh

Local people are excited to see the procession.

The firecrackers were carried through the main road in the village by 300 men who are less than 50 years old.

From early morning, local men carried firecrackers of 6 and 5.8 metres long, which were decorated with dragons, unicorns, tortoises and phoenixes to the village traditional house. The giant firecrackers would be taken to the village commune house in a procession.

On every 4th day of the lunar New Year, Đồng Kỵ villagers hold a firecracker procession to celebrate General Thiên Cương, who is the tutelary god of the village and the one who led locals to fight foreign invaders.

The annual firework procession festival takes place in Đồng Kỵ Village (Đồng Quang, Từ Sơn, Bắc Ninh) on the 4th of the first lunar month. The festival aims to commemorate the day when general Thiên Cương gave order for soldiers to march into battle defeating enemies and later regarded and worshipped as the tutelary god. — VNS Photos Việt Thanh